Tales of Fire and Water
by NeverBeLonely
Summary: "With the water around her, and Zuko next to her, she had never felt so content." Short, unconnected stories featuring the Fire Lord and Master Waterbender. If you'd like to suggest a prompt, you can find me on tumblr at quiddityofstars.
1. Are We Going To Let Them Win?

**_Author's Note_**

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at **quiddityofstars**._

* * *

_**"Are we going to let them win? No!"**_

"Are we going to let them win?" Sokka asked, determination in his eyes.

Suki, standing next to him with her elbow resting on his shoulder, looked a little amused but shook her head, "No!"

"Right! We will trample them into the dust!" Sokka looked at the ground they were standing on. "Or sand, I guess."

"But Sokka," Aang sounded a little hesitant as he stood on Sokka's other side, "that sounds a little violent. Can't we just… win nicely?"

Sokka shook his head. "That attitude is going to get us nowhere."

"Well, firstly you're not going to win at all." Katara began from where she stood on the other side of the net, holding the ball. "And secondly, I think you are taking this a little seriously, Sokka, it's just a game."

Her brother sighed. "And you're never going to win with that attitude, dear sister."

Katara rolled her eyes but Toph voiced her opinion from where she lounged in a beach chair on the sidelines, "He's right, sugar queen, you're two to three, you'll need to be more competitive than that if you want to win."

"Well we wouldn't be two to three if you agreed to play." Zuko pointed out from where he stood next to Katara.

Toph made a dismissive gesture. "I am better suited to the role of referee. I don't know how you expect me to play when I'm at a disadvantage with flying objects." She waved her hand in front of her eyes.

Aang looked confused, "But doesn't that mean you can't referee either?"

"Enough stalling Katara!" Sokka pointed at his sister, "Just throw the ball already!"

Katara narrowed her eyes, then shared a determined look with Zuko, before throwing the ball up in the air with an elegant sweep of her arm.


	2. Halloween Costume Party

_**Author's Note**_

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at **quiddityofstars**._

* * *

_**Halloween Costume Party**_

"Sokka, what exactly are you supposed to be?" Katara asked, raising her eyebrows at her brother as she and their friends stood together in the community centre's meeting hall. Sokka's girlfriend, Suki, was part of a women's self-defence group that was hosting a Halloween costume party to raise funds, and they were all enjoying themselves, but seemed doubtful of Sokka's outfit choice.

"I could ask you the same question!" He retorted.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I'm Elsa," she gestured to her glittering blue dress and gave her cape a dramatic swish, "of course."

"Well, what about Zuko?" Sokka pointed an accusing finger at the young man standing next to Katara, who seemed bewildered about what he'd done wrong.

"I'm a dragon." He sipped from his drink through a straw, gesturing to the dark grey scales Katara had carefully painted on his face. "Of course."

"Sokka, just accept the fact that I'm the best dressed here and move on with your life." Said Toph.

Sokka sighed. "I will admit you make a pretty good pirate, although I don't get the eye patch."

Toph managed to accurately hit him in the shin with her fake sword, her one-visible eyebrow raising, the other hidden behind the eyepatch in question.

Suki raised her hand to hide her amused smile as Sokka gave a yelp. "I think maybe it's best to drop the subject, dear."

Sokka sighed again and put his arm around his girlfriend, who looked rather excellent in her Mulan costume. "You're right, they just don't appreciate my genius." He gestured to his outfit. "I'm obviously a spider!"

The others tilted their heads, as if trying to solve the puzzle that was his costume. Someone's child, dressed as a cat, got their tail caught on one of his protruding legs and spent a minute trying to untangle themselves. Then Aang rushed over, the sheet of his ghost costume fluttering behind him.

"Toph! They have cinnamon rolls at the buffet!" He grinned happily.

Toph chuckled and grinned back, holding out her hand for him to lead her. "You are a cinnamon roll, lead the way." The two disappeared into the crowd, followed by Sokka and Suki who went off to get drinks to cheer Sokka up.

Zuko turned to Katara, who was covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to hide her giggling. "You knew what his costume was, didn't you?"

Katara uncovered her mouth, grinning at him. "Suki asked me to help sew some of it."

He chuckled. "You tease."

"He's my brother, it's my job. I'm just getting back at him for when he set the fire alarm off in the middle of the night last week." She took a sip from his drink, then tilted her head, listening to the music. "I love this song, want to dance?"

Zuko smiled and nodded. "It would be my pleasure, Ice Queen."

"Snow Queen, Zuko, Snow Queen."

"What's the difference?"

"It's the name of the fairy tale the movie is based on."

"How do you know this stuff?"

"Maybe I'm just more knowledgeable than you, dragon man."

"Maybe I'll give you that one, oh Queen of Winter."

"_Snow Queen!_"


	3. Dance With Me

_**Author's Note**_

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at quiddityofstars._

* * *

_**Dance With Me**_

Zuko slipped away from the crowd of party guests gathered in the decorated court yard, thankful that his time on the run had taught him how to make an escape. Sometimes he liked parties, but sometimes the constant political talk and people playing nice just because they were hoping for a favour made him want to scream.

He made his way to the water garden, hoping five minutes of listening to the peaceful fountains would relax him enough to make him feel up to facing the party again. But when he reached the garden, he found it already occupied.

There, on one of the shallow pools of water scattered around the garden, stood the Water Tribe's ambassador to the Fire Nation. Zuko blinked several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. But yes, there she stood, somehow on the surface of the water, in her full formal wear, except for her shoes, which lay discarded by the edge of the pool. She had a pretty smile on her face as she looked down at the colourful fish swimming beneath her. Some of her dark hair had fallen out of her elaborate hair style and fell forwards, brushing against her soft cheeks.

She must have sensed his gaze on her, because she looked up at him, her cheeks lightly staining with colour.

"Oh! Zuko…"

He gave her a bemused smile. "Here I was thinking I was going to be alone, and the I come across my Water Tribe ambassador walking on water in my garden."

Katara gave a light giggle and tilted her head. "_Your _water tribe ambassador?"

It was Zuko's turn to blush slightly. He cleared his throat. "I didn't know you could do that, standing on the water."

She smiled. "It's a new trick I've been working on, you want to try?" She held her hand out to him.

He was silent for a moment, staring at her hand, then met her eyes. "Kat, I'm a fire bender, remember?"

She shook her head, chuckling. "I can support you, come on."

"What if I fall in?" He was very unsure about this idea.

"You'll get wet." She raised a challenging eyebrow.

"I have a party to go back to!"

"I'll dry you off."

"You can't get rid of the smell of fish water." He pointed at the creatures swimming around in the water.

"Maybe it'll keep the bad party guests away." She grinned, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"That _would _be a positive."

They both laughed for another moment and then her gaze seemed to turn softer. "Don't you trust me?"

Zuko looked at her hand, still held out to him, and then knelt to take his shoes off before taking her hand.

Katara smiled softly at him and took his other hand too. He took a deep breath and kept his eyes on hers as he stepped onto the water.

She grinned. "Well, look at that, fire lord!"

Zuko laughed, noticing the strange sensation of the water under his feet. He looked down and saw the fish swimming beneath him.

"This is utterly surreal."

"They don't call me a master water bender for nothing."

He looked up at her. "I know."

She looked at him for a moment, then placed one of his hands on her waist.

"Dance with me."

He blinked at her. "On the water?"

She placed her free hand on his shoulder. "I've got you. Dance with me."

He looked into her eyes, focusing on her touch on him, and the balance he felt between them. He nodded.

They began to dance, Zuko trusting Katara to hold them above the surface, Katara letting him lead their steps.

As the dance went on, they moved closer until their noses were touching, and then their lips.

They never made it back to the party.


	4. Alibi

**_Author's Note_**

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at **quiddityofstars**._

* * *

_**I'm Only Here To Establish An Alibi**_

"Sokka, I'm in the middle of finishing some important documents, can't this wait until later?"

Sokka shook his head at Zuko. "No, most certainly not, this is of the greatest importance."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What is of the greatest importance?"

Sokka paused for several moments, putting on his thinking face. "I need to talk to you about… my sister!"

The Fire Lord's second eyebrow joined his first in rising. "Katara? What about her?"

There were several more moments before Sokka answered. "I want to know… What your intentions towards her are!"

Although Zuko was sure by now that Sokka was making this all up on the spot, he still felt as if he was being accused of something. "My… Intentions? I'm not sure that I have any."

"Exactly!" Sokka pointed his finger at the confused Fire Lord across the desk from him. "You're… not paying enough attention to her! Think Zuko, think! How neglected she must feel that you don't have any plans towards her!"

Zuko felt that they were getting into dangerous territory in this conversation and decided to end it. "Sokka, why are you really here? Have you got some kind of scheme going on? Are you just supposed to distract me until Aang has painted moustaches on all the portraits or something?"

"No, but that is a brilliant idea, thank you."

"Sokka."

"Alright, fine, you got me." Sokka sighed and put his feet up on the Fire Lord's desk. "I'm only here to establish an alibi."

"First, get your feet off my desk, second, dear Agni Kai, what have you done?"

Sokka tried to put on an innocent expression. "I don't know what you're talking about, I haven't done anything."

It was at this point that they could hear a large explosion from another area of the palace.

Sokka stood up. "Damn it, it wasn't supposed to go off for another ten minutes!"

Zuko was giving him a look. "I don't think your alibi is going to do you any good now."


	5. Pluviophile

**_Author's Note_**

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at **quiddityofstars**._

* * *

_**Pluviophile: any organism that thrives in conditions of heavy rainfall; one who loves rain, a rain-lover**_

Katara heard the slight shuffle of his feet as he came to stand next to her on one of the royal palace's many balconies, looking out over the gardens. Zuko was rather light on his feet and by now could sneak up on almost anyone without them noticing, but she always seemed to sense his presence whenever he was near. She wondered if that meant something.

"There's never any rain at the Southern air temple," She said quietly, resting her hands on the balcony railing, still looking at head out at the palace grounds. "And it's so high up and far from the sea, I always felt so far from my element there."

Zuko quietly cleared his throat and spoke in his low, raspy voice. She felt calmer just hearing him talk. "Uncle always says your soul knows where it is meant to be, so if you felt out of place there, then you did the right thing in leaving."

Katara looked at him, "And what do you say, Fire Lord?"

He met her gaze, his golden eyes warm and understanding. "In the Fire Nation we get two rain seasons, one after the end of the hot season, and one after the end of the cold season. And even when there's no rain, you're not far from the ocean."

A smile grew on her lips and she chuckled. "Are you inviting me to stay, Zuko?"

He chuckled and gently nudged her arm with his elbow, "You know you're always welcome here, Katara."

She liked how his voice went softer when he said her name.

Neither of them mentioned how, if the amount of water available to her was really at the top of her priority list, she would probably be at the South Pole.

* * *

Katara took a little time to settle into her new room in the palace, and then started exploring. The palace, the city, and soon enough the whole nation. They had not seen much of it while they were on the run and trying to train Aang, and now, between the occasional meeting with Zuko's royal council where she advised as the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador, and the occasional meeting with fire nation healers to see if there was a way to combine what she had learned with their knowledge of healing, she had time to explore. Zuko did not often had time to come with her, but he sometimes gave her recommendations of places to visit, and always listened attentively when she came back to the palace and told him about where she had travelled to. Occasionally she brought him back gifts if she ever saw something that made her think of him. She loved it, getting to see the nation that Zuko ruled over, learning about the people and their traditions and homes, enjoying the warm weather, taking every chance to swim in the ocean and practice her waterbending in front of the curious eyes of the locals and the guards Zuko insisted she take with her. For quite possibly the first time in her life, she felt really, truly free, and it was made all the better by the fact that she knew at the end of every journey to a new place, she had a welcoming home to go back to at the palace.

Eventually, after months of unending heat, the first rain season came. She had just arrived back at the palace after a day trip to a beautiful temple and was standing in the courtyard as the first drops began to fall. Everyone else rushed inside but she took a moment, lifting her face up and closing her eyes in contentment as she felt the water cool her warm skin.

She began to travel less once the weather turned. It was harder to make journeys in the rain, well, for everyone else at least, and she was content to mostly stay in the palace. She spent her time helping Zuko with his work or visiting the local healing centres. In the moments between the showers of rain, she and Zuko took breaks to spar, they both knew each other's style of fighting quite well now, and it was often a challenge for either of them to win. In other spare moments, when it was raining, she liked to go outside and let the water soak her through. It felt good to connect with her element, and sometimes she took the opportunity to practice bending by herself, but mostly she liked to sit or stand peacefully, focusing on her breathing and the soft sound of the water hitting the tiles of the palace roof and the stone of the courtyards.

Zuko began to express concern over this habit of hers. She understood where he was coming from, being a fire bender was obviously different, he certainly did not take the time to go and sit in his fireplace as a method of relaxation. But she knew herself and she knew this was good for her. She told him so one afternoon when they were having tea with his uncle, who visited the palace quite often.

"Really Zuko, I just like to make the most of the weather while it's like this." She sipped her tea and gave him a reassuring smile.

Iroh nodded in agreement. "I can't see that any harm will come from it, Nephew. In fact I believe that it shows our master waterbender here is very well connected with her power and element, and is at peace with herself."

Katara smiled fondly at Iroh, but Zuko still frowned in concern.

"But what if you get sick?"

She chuckled. "Water can't hurt me, Zuko. I'm a waterbender."

He flinched. "Well, fire hurt me." He made an uncomfortable gesture towards his scar and Katara felt her heart drop.

"Oh Zuko," she said softly, reaching out to gently touch the skin around his eye, grateful that he leaned into her touch instead of flinching away. "I'm sorry, you're so sweet to be concerned. I promise I'm looking after myself." She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to the warm skin of his cheek, smiling when she pulled back and saw the pink tint that had appeared on his cheeks.

* * *

A couple of days later she was sitting on the steps that lead down into the front courtyard of the palace, letting the rain wash over her, and was surprised, and pleased, when Zuko joined her.

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about."

Katara chuckled and took his hand, intertwining their fingers. "Do firebenders get sick if they stay out in the rain for too long?"

"I think we'll be alright for a little while," he patted his chest with his free hand, over his heart, "I have my inner fire to keep me warm." He glanced at her, a little sheepish, and nudged his shoulder against hers. "And you."

Katara could not have stopped the smile that spread across her face even if she had wanted to. "That was quite smooth, I'm impressed."

Zuko grinned a little, the light blush back on his cheeks, his face now wet with the rain. "Well, it's taking me a little time, but I am getting better at talking to girls, by the time I retire I shall be quite the charmer."

A giggle escaped her and she raised her eyebrows, "How many girls have you been talking to?"

This made him hesitate and he chuckled, giving her another sheepish grin. "Just the one. Although she keeps standing around in the rain, which has made it a little difficult to have a normal conversation."

Katara laughed. "We can go inside in a moment and have some tea, if you like."

"Uncle will be very proud to know you suggested that." He smiled, his gold eyes looking at her warmly. "And proud that I agreed with the suggestion, but there's something I wanted to do first, and I'm hoping it will be quite smooth and romantic if I manage to pull it off."

She watched him, feeling very warm. "Okay, what is it?"

He took a deep breath, looking like he was attempting to gather his courage, and then leaned in and carefully pressed his wet lips to hers. She felt a spark shoot through her and immediately kissed him back. With the water around her, and Zuko next to her, she had never felt so content.


	6. Ignipotent

**_Author's Note_**

_This was a prompt sent to me on tumblr, if you'd like to send me a prompt you can find me at **quiddityofstars**._

* * *

_**Ignipotent – presiding over fire**_

Zuko took a deep breath in, and then out, focusing on his balance and energy. His feet began to move slowly over the sand floor of the training yard, already beginning to feel warm from the early morning sun. He felt the warmth in the air and the fire inside him rose up to meet it. Fire began to dance over his fingertips and move with his body as he started to work through the familiar forms and movements of his firebending practice.

He could feel his uncle's eyes on him from the side of the yard but knew there was no judgement in them as he might have imagined there was when he was younger. He knew now that his uncle never truly criticised him, only gave him his honest thoughts to help him find peace and happiness in his life. Zuko could admit to himself now that he preferred it when his uncle was in the Fire Nation than when he was away working at his tea shop in the Earth Kingdom. He felt more settled when Iroh was there.

He felt more settled when a certain other person was there too, but at that thought he stumbled a little in his practice and had to stop and clear his mind again.

As he went back to his working on his stance and movements, he tried to think of something simple.

The economy, that was simple. Relatively.

He went through a series of firebending moves, his mind going over the latest proposal his finance minister had been discussing with him the previous day. It was dull, but important, and though he wasn't awful at understanding finance, it made him wish there was a Fire Lady to sit with him and go through it all.

Katara would be good at that, she had always been good with money when they were on the run, and as an ambassador for the Water Tribe she had an excellent mind for working through proposals and deals.

He tripped over his own feet and let a stream of fire out of his mouth in frustration.

He shouldn't be thinking of her. Especially not like that. And yet every thought in his mind always worked itself back around to her eventually.

There was a rather obvious reason for that, but he wouldn't let himself put it in to words.

"Something seems to be troubling you, Nephew." His uncle's voice travelled across the yard towards him, the tone kind but also far too knowing.

Zuko sighed and stood up straight, turning to look at Iroh. "Yes, Uncle. I keep trying to focus but my thoughts are distracted."

There was a sparkle in his uncle's eyes that told him he knew what he was distracted by. "Come and have some tea, Fire Lord Zuko."

He joined his uncle at the low table on the stone paving at the side of the training space, settling himself on a cushion. "I think I prefer it when you call me Nephew." He mumbled.

His uncle let out a warm chuckle. "Drink your tea, it's jasmine."

Once upon a time Zuko would have complained that tea wasn't the solution to every problem, but now he knew that even if it didn't solve his problem, sitting and drinking tea with his uncle was always a pleasant experience, and usually gave him a moment to calm himself. And he would probably look back months later and realise that Iroh had in fact solved his problem.

He sipped his tea.

"It seems to me," his uncle began, "that you are being distracted by something, because you are not allowing yourself to be truthful."

Zuko looked at Iroh in confusion. "I'm not?"

"You should not deny your feelings, be honest with yourself about your emotions, accept what you know to be true, and your mind will feel clear." Iroh stated calmly, giving him a direct look.

Zuko fidgeted uncomfortably. "But…" He struggled to find the words to express himself. "What if my feelings could affect someone else?"

His uncle smiled warmly. "As long as you allow that person to make their own choices, as I know you will, I see nothing wrong with that."

Zuko looked down at the table, absentmindedly noticing that his uncle had set out three cups. He took a deep breath and then slowly said, "I love Katara and I'm worried that I would trap her here and she'd have to conform to all the expectations of a Fire Lady. She'd feel obligated to behave a certain way and it would take away her freedom. I don't want to take away her freedom."

He received a bright smile from his uncle, who replied, his voice warm, "And I think that is what makes all the difference, Nephew. Katara is a strong-minded woman and would not allow herself to be bullied into anything. And you would never bully her into anything, not any more, of course," Zuko felt his cheeks warm at the memory of tying Katara to a tree, "and you would not allow anyone else to do so either. Personally, I believe our dear waterbender would make a great Fire Lady, and without having to sacrifice her freedom."

Zuko smiled, feeling a flicker of hope in his heart. "Thank you, Uncle, I think that helps."

"Good," Iroh nodded, then added, "because our guest should be here in a moment, I was told their ship arrived in the harbour just before I came to watch you."

"A guest?" Zuko looked at the third cup set out on the table. "Uncle you should have warned me, I'm not dressed appropriately to receive guests."

"Ah, but I believe this guest has seen you in your training clothes plenty of times before now." Iroh said calmly with a serene smile.

"Uncle, what-,"

"Hey Sparky." He looked up at the sound of the sweet voice and saw Katara sitting down next to him. Her hair was tied back in a pretty braid and her blue clothes were light and loose to suit the warm climate. She was as beautiful as ever, maybe even more beautiful than the last time he'd seen her, in fact.

He blinked several times before his voice worked. "Katara, you, you're here."

Her lips twitched in amusement. And now he was looking at her lips. Maybe he should stop.

He didn't stop.

"Ever observant, oh great and powerful Fire Lord, nice to see you too. I thought I'd drop in and surprise you, we shouldn't stay apart for too long you know," she patted the back of his hand, her bright blue eyes looking into his, "you need me."

The fire within him roared in agreement and he suddenly smiled, chuckling. "I really do."


End file.
